KUCHING: Do not make this as racial issue as it will disrupt the peace among our people who come from various racial backgrounds, said a historian.
Former Sarawak Museum Department director cum historian Datuk Dr Sanib Said has made a police report regarding a statement from Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak Baru (PBDSB) information officer Andrew Bugie Ipang published on a news portal on July 7.
In the statement Bugie accused Sanib of playing with racial issue in his research finding of the Santubong state as the oldest Malay state in the world
Bugie questioned the research mechanism and procedures used by Sanib to purportedly prove that Sarawak is the second oldest Malay state in the world after Kedah.
In addition, Bugie urged historians not to make claims unsubstantiated by scientific proof for the sake of racial harmony, peace, and unity.
“His statement regarding my research as a historian has embarrassed me, questioning my credibility to study and write about the history of Santubong state as the second oldest Malay state in the world located in Sarawak.
“I am a qualified researcher coming from Universiti Malaya (UM). He has questioned my research work and said that I have caused a racial harmony due to my findings,” said Sanib.
He said this when speaking to reporters in a media conference after lodging the police report at Kuching Central Police Station, here today.
Sanib stressed that his research was only focus on the history of the Malay in Sarawak and mentioned no other races in his work.
“I only do my research on the history of the Malay, my own race. I did not mention any other races because I know it is a sensitive issue to talk about.
“His statement accuses me of playing with racial issue which has gone too far, that is why I made the police report,” said Sanib.
The historian also stated that he had received insults and derogatory comments from netizens on social media regarding his findings.
He hopes that with the police report, the issue will be resolved in peace as to avoid any further disturbance to Sarawak’s harmonious multiracial community.
